Explosion heard near Red Cross office in Afghanistan's Jalalabad

           
A large explosion was heard near the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday, a Reuters witness said.        

Part of the ICRC building in Jalalabad in Nangarhar province was on fire shortly after the blast and gunfire could be heard, the witness said.

Earlier in the day, Afghan officials said one police officer was killed and another was wounded when seven insurgents wearing bomb-laden vests attacked a government compound in eastern Panjshir province.                             

Provincial Governor Kramuddin Karim said all seven militants were killed in the attack before dawn Wednesday against his compound in Bazarak.
                      
Provincial police chief Qasim Jangalbagh said three blew themselves up and four were killed by police when they attacked the compound, which was empty because of the early hour.                       

Jangalbagh said a minivan full of explosives that the insurgents were driving did not blow up. He added that one of the seven insurgents managed to flee the scene, but later blew himself up.                     

Attacks against government forces and officials have increased since the Taliban began a spring campaign earlier in the month.


AP/REUTERS